Cost of Living Comparison Between Quezon City and Chiang Mai Cost of Living Comparison Between Quezon City and Chiang Mai

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $906 per month in Quezon City vs $866 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,375 per month in Quezon City vs $1,351 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,844 per month in Quezon City vs $1,835 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Quezon City costs about 5% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both Quezon City and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Quezon City 32% lower, Chiang Mai 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.89 ₱302

$1.94 ฿63.5

152.06%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$21.49 ₱1,325

$18.64 ฿609

15.29%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.12 ₱192

$7.82 ฿255

-60.10%

Cappuccino

$2.85 ₱176

$1.95 ฿63.8

46.15%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.92 ₱56.8

$0.85 ฿27.77

8.24%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.38 ₱23.27

$0.35 ฿11.58

8.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.22 ₱75.3

$2.13 ฿69.6

-42.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.71 ₱167

$3.73 ฿122

-27.35%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.16 ₱133

$1.71 ฿56.0

26.32%

White Bread (500g)

$1.20 ₱74.1

$1.63 ฿53.2

-26.38%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.08 ₱66.4

$1.14 ฿37.15

-5.26%

Eggs

$2.03 ₱125

$1.93 ฿63.1

5.18%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.10 ₱438

$16.21 ฿530

-56.20%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.24 ₱261

$3.12 ฿102

35.90%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.39 ₱456

$10.90 ฿356

-32.20%

Apples (1kg)

$4.36 ₱269

$2.75 ฿90.0

58.55%

Banana (1kg)

$1.60 ₱98.6

$1.21 ฿39.52

32.23%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.98 ₱184

$1.62 ฿53.0

83.95%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.63 ₱101

$1.59 ฿51.8

2.52%

Potato (1kg)

$2.89 ₱178

$1.40 ฿45.70

106.43%

Onion (1kg)

$4.16 ₱256

$1.17 ฿38.17

255.56%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.57 ₱97.0

$0.66 ฿21.60

137.88%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.05 ₱64.5

$0.53 ฿17.22

98.11%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.13 ₱193

$4.69 ฿153

-33.26%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.20 ₱444

$18.66 ฿609

-61.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.55 ₱95.4

$1.80 ฿58.8

-13.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.02 ₱125

$3.23 ฿106

-37.46%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.46 ₱28.17

$0.90 ฿29.26

-48.89%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.21 ฿628

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.84 ₱51.6

$1.41 ฿45.91

-40.43%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.25 ₱15.24

$1.29 ฿42.12

-80.62%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.16 ₱133

$7.84 ฿256

-72.45%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.09 ₱67.1

$1.27 ฿41.58

-14.17%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$25.3K ₱1.6M

$21.3K ฿694.9K

18.69%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$20.2K ₱1.2M

$22.2K ฿725.4K

-8.90%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$161 ₱9,945

$69.1 ฿2,256

133.50%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$33.64 ₱2,074

$14.08 ฿460

138.92%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.00 ₱1,850

$18.00 ฿588

66.67%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$24.35 ₱1,501

$41.06 ฿1,341

-40.70%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.34 ₱391

$6.96 ฿227

-8.91%

Cinema Ticket

$7.22 ₱445

$5.92 ฿193

21.96%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$79.8 ₱4,920

$299 ฿9,766

-73.31%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,821 ₱173.9K

$15.0K ฿488.3K

-81.13%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$31.80 ₱1,961

$54.7 ฿1,787

-41.86%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.11 ₱1,795

$26.77 ฿874

8.74%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.7 ₱6,085

$85.0 ฿2,776

16.11%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$95.6 ₱5,894

$70.6 ฿2,306

35.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$274 ₱16.9K

$428 ฿14.0K

-36.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$198 ₱12.2K

$237 ฿7,752

-16.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$737 ₱45.5K

$801 ฿26.2K

-7.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$430 ₱26.5K

$515 ฿16.8K

-16.67%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,363 ₱145.7K

$1,975 ฿64.5K

19.67%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,479 ₱91.2K

$1,475 ฿48.2K

0.27%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$436 ₱26.9K

$617 ฿20.2K

-29.37%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.13

62.60%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Quezon City: June 2, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $274 in Quezon City versus $428 in Chiang Mai. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 42% higher in Chiang Mai, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $21.00 in Quezon City versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $224 in Quezon City vs $246 in Chiang Mai – so Quezon City wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Quezon City vs Chiang Mai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Quezon City costs about 5% more than Chiang Mai, with the gap driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,359 per month in Quezon City and $1,300 in Chiang Mai. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Chiang Mai, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $21.00 in Quezon City and $19.00 in Chiang Mai. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 10% cheaper in Quezon City – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $906 in Quezon City and $866 in Chiang Mai, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $866 versus $906 in Quezon City. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Chiang Mai. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Quezon City makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.